The present disclosure relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant, also known as a sage, a perennial that is grown for use as an ornamental landscape and container plant. The new variety is known botanically as Salvia x guaranitica and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Rhythm & Blues’.
‘Rhythm & Blues’ was selected in 2015 from a population of seedlings which the inventor raised from seed collected from plants resulting from the controlled hybridization between a plant of Salvia x guaranitica var violacea (species, unpatented) as male parent, and a plant of Salvia x guaranitica var purpurea (species, unpatented) as female parent. The hybridization and selection was carried out by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Elk, Calif.
‘Rhythm and Blues’ was selected by the inventor for its combination of flower count, flower size, intensity of flower color, deep green foliage and naturally compact and branching plant habit.
‘Rhythm & Blues’ was first asexually propagated in 2015 in a greenhouse at the inventor's nursery in Elk, Calif. using softwood tip cuttings. The inventor has determined during successive cycles of asexual propagation that ‘Rhythm & Blues’ is stable and reproduces true to type.